BALITUCAN
(Magalang)
San Ildefonso is the official name of this eastern barrio
of Magalang, founded in 1868. Locals though, prefer calling it by its more
popular, delicious-sounding name---Balitucan--derived from “balitug”, roasted corn kernels sprinkled with sugar,
that are a favorite snack items of Kapampangans. Corn and sugar are the
principal produce of this place. But there exists another version why it is so
named. There are those who believe that
the name came from”balituk”, or gold in Ilocano, which supports another tale
that the settlers of the place where Ilocanos from Nueva Ecija. Balitucan,
which straddles Tarlac, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija, is the biggest barangay of
Magalang.
KALEDIAN (Arayat)
Kaledian is the old name of the Camba, a barangay in
Arayat. Pres. Manuel L. Quezon established a farmstead here, and named it
Hacienda Caledian, after one of the major barangays of Baler, his birthplace. The
name “Caledian” is believed to have been derived from “Calle diyan!” (the
street over there) referring to a road that had no specific geographical
boundary at that time. It is interesting to note that next to Caledian, Arayat
is the barrio Suklayin”, also named by Quezon after a Baler place. Caledian was
re-named Camba in later years, but Suklayin has retained its name.
Another place in Tarlac with a name that often elicited
embarrassed snickers in the past is Darabulbul, in existence as a barrio since
1853. People love to tell stories that the vulgar-sounding name was derived
from somebody’s aunt’s public hair (“Dara” or aunt + “bulbul” or pubic hair). “Darabulbul”
is an old Kapampangan term that means “the spurting or gushing of liquid like
water—often with sporadic, gurgling sound. It is the name also ascribed to a
river where the barrio is located, which, locals refer to as “Ilug Burat”
(Prick River). Today, Darabulbul has
been renamed Corazon de Jesus.
Hacienda Ramona, in Dolores, Porac, is the site of
important archaeological excavations conducted in the 1950s that date back to
pre-colonial Pampanga. It is also where one can find a rock formation that
resembled the ridge on a cattle’s back, hence it is known as “Malatundunbaka”
(“like the nape of a cattle”). In ancient times, Malatundunbaka was where
corpses were dried to prepare them for secondary burial. A burial jar with a skeleton
and bracelets were found in the area, as noted by noted archaeologist Robert
Fox.
“Sibaung”—an insect from the beetle family that infested
palms and coconut trees, gave its name to this barangay which once had swarms
of them. People from nearby Bacolor would come to this place to go”manibaung” –
or go hunting for such black beetles that were considered culinary delicacies,
espceically when cooked adobo-style. “Manibaung” was later corrupted to
“Manibaug”. Today, the culinary practice
of preparing ‘sibaung’ still is practiced in Porac.
Margot was a new settlement founded on the southern
boundary of Camp Stotsenburg in the mid 1920s. The barrio with a distinct
American name was envisioned to be a healthful, sanitary place where the
American soldiers could seek wholesome leisure under military supervision—in
contrast to “sinful” Sapang Bato. ‘Margot’ (formerly sitios Talimundoc &
Tacondo), was derived from the name of the only daughter of the Commanding
Officer of Camp Stotsenburg.
Even local historian Mariano Henson has no clues as to
the origin of the name “Mining”. At first glance, the seemingly English name of
this small eastern barrio of Angeles is suggestive of the presence of “mina”
(mine ores), but no such documentation
exist. A more plausible story comes from recollections of longtime
residents Marciano Catanghal and Agustin Pineda (aged 81 and 68 respectively,
at the time of the 2000 interview), the place had no name since the Japanese
Occupation. Due to the proliferation of
sweet-smelling kamuning trees lining their main road, the residents used
these natural landmarks to name their barrio “Mining”, a diminutive of
“kamuning”.
Sepung Bulaon was once a sitio of barrio Pias, and was
separated as a barrio in 1882. In Kapampangan, “Sepung Bulaon” means “the tip
of a molave tree”. The hardwood molave used to grow in profusion in the area,
but one tall ancient bulaon tree stood out for its imposing height. It was only
after the old tree fell that people realized its extraordinary dimension—its
tip extended all the way to the location of the visita. To remember their
natural landmark, the barrio was named Sepung Bulaon.
Barangay Gulap of Candaba used to have an old sitio by
the name of Tacasan Dapu Legend has it that in the old days, a fishpond called
Lucong always overflowed due to a river that always spilled its water into the
pond—along with its resident man-eating crocodile. The crocodile always used
this spillway to come and go, hence the name, “Tacasan Dapu”. This became an
annual occurrence so the residents , fearful of the crocodile’s presence, moved
to a new location, depopulating the sitio.
The barrio’s name was actually the nickname of a certain
Maria Cristina, the kind wife of a German settler who cleared the area and
began a farmhouse there in the 1900s—hence the early name, ‘Caingin Aleman’.
After some time, the place was called
simply “Tinang” after the gracious “Indang Tinang”. However, as early as 1853,
there was already a barrio by that name in Magalang-Concepcion town, thus
dispelling this romantic origin story. This barrio was consolidated with 5 others
to form barangay San Miguel during the American occupation.
Sources:
Cojuangco, Tingting. TARLAC
Dizon, Lino L. , AMLAT, Kapampangan Local History Contours
in Tarlac and Pampanga, Center for Tarlaqueño Studies, Tarlac State University,
2000.
Dizon, Lino L. East of Pinatubo: Former recollect Missions
in Tarlac and Pampanga (1712-1898), Museo Archivo Recoletos, Center for Tarlaqueño Studies, Tarlac State
University, 1998.
Kasaysayang Local: Angeles City, by Zaide Foundation and
Dept. of Education, Culture and Sports, All-Nations Publishing, Quezon City,
2000.
Mallari, Joel P. Etymology of Place Names in San Fernando. http://tarebalakdiscovery.blogspot.com/2008/01/baltangan-da-ring-memalen-ning-san.html
Sibug, Edgardo C. Porac, A Rancheria at Batiauan 1594-2004,
Municipal Government of Porac, 2006.
Batang Baler:http://www.batangbaler.net/2010/03/28/caledian-and-suklayin/
Historical Data Papers of Apalit, Candaba, Macabebe,Batang Baler:http://www.batangbaler.net/2010/03/28/caledian-and-suklayin/
Photo Sources
Balitucan: cornicks:
sweetcherriepie.com
Map of Margot and Mining:
Kasaysayang Local: Angeles City
Map of Concepcion: Tarlac
All other maps: google
maps
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